Mesothelioma is a form of cancer contracted by the inhalation or ingestion of asbestos fibers. The fibers in asbestos cause tumors in the lung and/or abdominal lining which, like any other form of cancer, is ultimately fatal unless treated properly. The common causes of death are internal bleeding or hemorrhage from the tumors, or cardiac arrest from the buildup of bodily fluids secreted by the body's immune system in an attempt to combat the tumors.

A majority of those people who contract mesothelioma are in their middle to late years in life, since the symptoms manifest only after 20 to 50 years after exposure. For this reason, the number of cases of diagnosed mesothelioma patients has been steadily growing, due to the fact that asbestos was mainly in use for most industrial work during the 1970s and 1980s.

To help the afflicted victims of asbestos induced cancer, certain law firms and lawyers have begun to specialize in cases of mesothelioma. More often than not, companies in the past were aware of the adverse effects of asbestos fibers on the human body, yet failed to take proper precaution with their workers.

In cases like these, the injured patients are assisted by the lawyers or firms in finding out exactly (or approximately) when and from which source they contracted mesothelioma. A properly presented and defended case can bring in millions of dollars by way of compensation for the injured parties.

Aside from work related cases, there have also been cases where careless demolition of houses and buildings which had asbestos in the foundations and walls (in an attempt at fireproofing) were also revealed to introduce large quantities of airborne asbestos fibers which causes nearby residents mesothelioma. Again, these cases can be traced by these law firms and won in a court of law with proper presentation.

Then there are also law firms which specialize in malpractise suits against doctors which used "alternative" (meaning unproven) methods of treatment for mesothelioma. The common accepted method of treating mesothelioma is to use heat/laser surgery and chemotherapy in tandem to burn out the tumors without damaging the healthy body cells. The alternative methods include medicines to boost the body's immune and regenerative systems as well as alternative diets and exercise.

Classic tumor removal surgery for cancer is actually ineffective against mesothelioma, and has led to patents dying after an apparently successful operation. The maximum life span after an operation is set at around 5 years. Again, conducting regular surgery to treat mesothelioma can also lead to a malpractise suit.

Another type of law suit that mesothelioma law firms and lawyers can pursue is negligence. While not as severe as a malpractise suit, it can still be damaging to a doctor's career and can bring in a fairly decent amount in compensation if the case is won.

The reason for this type of case is that mesothelioma symptoms are actually quite similar in nature to any number of relatively harmless disorders, including common old age maladies, asthma, and indigestion. When these regular treatments fail, a good doctor should recommend an x ray, and these will reveal the presence of tumors in the lungs or stomach. Some doctors, however, will simply write off the current treatments as ineffective and prescribe another set of medicines instead of choosing an x ray, and this leads to the true problem being undiagnosed.

These are some of the major common cases handled by mesothelioma lawyers and law firms, and their credo is to help their clients find justice against the parties which have wronged them. While they cannot directly do anything to cure the mesothelioma, they can at least see to it that justice is served and compensation for the injury is recovered, and the money gained from the law suits can go a long way towards helping their clients get proper treatment.

Lastly, it is advised by mesothelioma lawyers that as soon as a person is diagnosed with it they contact a lawyer as soon as possible, since there is a short statute of limitations for filing a case of mesothelioma. The lawyers can then proceed to do their initial research to determine if the injured party has a solid case and enough evidence to make a successful claim in a court of law. If the answer is yes, then a case can be filed and everything proceeds from there.